‘Yeah. I should have mentioned it, but it’s Sasha I’m seeing actually.’ His mouth formed into a half grimace.
‘Sasha?’ Just the mention of her name made my heart plummet to the depths of my stomach. ‘What, are you two working together again?’
‘No, not exactly. She’s thinking of moving back here.’
‘Really?’ That made no sense at all. Sasha wasn’t a local girl, what possible reason could she have for moving to Little Leyton?
Max shrugged, looking apologetic. ‘She’s after a place to rent and asked me if I could help. As it happens one of the farm cottages at the bottom of Bluebell Lane became empty a couple of weeks ago so she’s having a look at that today.’
‘Oh…’ A hundred questions flooded my head, but I managed only one. ‘I wonder why she wants to move here?’
‘Well you’ve said yourself that Little Leyton holds a special magic. Perhaps she wants a quieter pace of life. I know she always loved living in the village. Maybe she’s after a bit of the good life that we’re experiencing.’
‘Yes, but…’ I really couldn’t put a voice to all the thoughts currently flooding my mind. Why here, though? Why now? ‘But what about her work?’ I managed.
‘Honestly, Ellie, I don’t know.’ I heard the exasperation in his voice. ‘It’s not a problem is it?’
At this precise moment it seemed like a huge problem to me. Life was complicated enough without glamorous ex-girlfriends moving in just down the road. Why the hell couldn’t Max have told her that he didn’t have any properties to rent, like any normal man?
‘No. I just wondered… that was all.’
I was left wondering. Of course it wasn’t strange that Sasha wanted to move back into the village. Just down the road from her ex. There wasn’t anything suspect about that behaviour at all. Well, if Max’s reaction was anything to go by, there wasn’t.
‘Look, I’ll have to go, darling.’ He kissed me on the cheek. ‘We can catch up later, yeah?’
‘Yeah,’ I said. The sensation of his kiss on my face wasn’t the only thing Max left me with. Now I had a rising sense of panic in my chest too.
Eleven
Back at the pub, I walked through the front door to find a gaggle of my regulars gathered around the bar. They all turned to look at me, smiles on their faces.
‘Well, it’s all right for some, rocking up to work at this time.’ Jake made a big show of tapping his finger on his watch, much to the amusement of his band of cronies.
On Saturdays the customers would come in early and stay late and it looked as though this motley crew might be in for the duration. The group currently propping up the bar were a bunch of lads – well I say lads, some of them were well into their fifties – who were well known at The Dog and Duck. This lot were noisy, mouthy and cheeky and some days the high jinks and banter flowed freely and on other days, like today, I really wasn’t feeling it.
‘You all right, lads?’
‘Yeah. What about you? Been off to see the Master again?’ Jim adopted his best country yokel accent which, judging from the reaction of the others, was absolutely hysterical.
Ordinarily I would have laughed it off, but my sense of humour, as far as Max was concerned, had deserted me today.
‘You landed on your feet all right, didn’t you, love? When Max bought this place. I bet you can’t believe your luck. You gained a boss, a pub and a lover all in one fell swoop.’ Cue more guffawing from Jim and his mates.
‘What?’ I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. All I could see around me were smiling faces, or were they faces laughing at me instead? A fire burned through my veins. A fiery rampaging heat. I dug my nails into my fists at my sides. Under my breath I counted slowly to ten and plastered on my best landlady’s smile. ‘For your information, Max isn’t my boss. He owns the freehold on the property, that’s all. He has nothing to do with the running of this pub. We’re in a relationship, not that that’s any business of yours, but our professional and personal lives are totally separate. In case you were wondering.’
‘Oooooooh! Someone’s a bit touchy,’ laughed Keith.
‘All right, love. I didn’t mean anything by it.’ Jim added.
‘You’d better watch what you say, Jim. We don’t want to go upsetting the landlady do we?’ Rob said.
‘No, you really don’t,’ I said, sweeping out into the other bar where Josie and Andy were manning the fort.
‘Hey, you all right?’ asked Josie, immediately sensing something was up. She steered me to the back of the bar, where we couldn’t be overheard.
‘Oh, it’s just Jim and his mates winding me up.’
‘Well that doesn’t normally bother you. What’s so different today?’
I took a deep breath, and wrapped my arms around my chest, annoyed that I’d allowed their stupid remarks to get to me. If I took offence at every derogatory comment made from across the bar, I’d be in a constant state of the hump. Deep down though, I knew this wasn’t about my rowdy customers at all.
‘Oh, it’s Max. I’ve just seen him and it was absolutely great, and then just as I was leaving he announces that he’s going to meet Sasha. That he’s going to show her one of his houses and that she could be moving back into the village.’
‘What!? Why would she want to move back here?’
‘Exactly. I have no idea. She has a flat in London; it just doesn’t make any sense.’
‘And what, you’re thinking there must be something more to it than Max is letting on?’
‘I don’t know. I thought things were really good between us and now this. Why the hell is he so friendly with his ex, anyway?’
‘Well perhaps it just means he’s a nice person.’
‘Hmm, well I wish his niceness didn’t extend to entertaining his exes.’ I paused, thinking for a moment about me and Johnny. That was different. He was more of a teen fling than a proper serious ex-boyfriend. ‘Oh god! Do you think I’m being unreasonable?’
‘No, not at all. I’d be exactly the same. I’d want to know what was going on. You’ll just have to hope she hates the house, and decides to move somewhere else.’
‘Hmmm right. But Bluebell Cottage though? It’s hardly likely she’s going to hate it.’
Spotting a customer waiting at the bar, I jumped in to serve them, glad of the distraction. It was only when I was standing with Josie again that I tuned into the conversation going on in the other room. It was a trick I’d developed since taking over the pub. The ability to pick out certain conversations across a crowded room. Considering this conversation involved me, I was all ears.
‘You see, we never had these problems when Eric was in charge, did we?’ This comment came from Jake.
‘No, I wonder how the old boy’s doing. I miss his friendly face around this place. I mean, she’s all right, this one, but the trouble with having a woman running the pub is that they haven’t got a sense of humour.’
The bloody cheek of it!
‘I know,’ said Jim, chuckling. ‘If I want some grief from a moody woman I can stay at home for that!’
I poked my head around the old oak upright beam that separated the two bars, earwigging a bit more.
‘I suppose she does her best,’ said Keith, peering into his glass as though it held a thousand answers, ‘she keeps a good pint of beer, but it’s not the same as having a bloke run the place. You felt you were in a safe pair of hands when Eric was behind the bar.’
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I walked back into the bar where the guys were discussing the merits of me and the pub, their faces a picture of awkwardness as it dawned on them that I’d heard every word they’d been saying. This wasn’t just about me personally. This was about my ability to run a good pub.
‘I couldn’t help overhearing, lads. I’m sorry you’re not happy with things the way they are here. Obviously, as landlady, I like to keep all my customers satisfied, so if there’s anything specific you would like to see changed then do tell me. I’m
always open to suggestions.’ I was amazed I managed to keep my voice even. ‘Obviously I can’t do anything about the fact that I’m not Eric or that I’m a woman, but anything else I’m prepared to listen to.’
‘Now look, Ellie,’ said Jim, conciliatory now. ‘Don’t take any notice of us. You know we talk out of our arses most of the time. It was just a bit of friendly banter that was all.’
‘Of course! Friendly banter about how I’m not cut out to run the pub.’
‘Nah, we all think you’re doing a great job, don’t we?’ Jim looked around wildly at the others for some moral support, and they all nodded fervently, their earlier bolshiness now nowhere to be seen. ‘We were just saying how we missed Eric that was all.’
‘And what you think about a woman running the Dog and Duck. Honestly, guys, I thought better of you. I’m bound to do things differently to Eric, but actually I’m more than qualified to run this place. I pretty much grew up in the pub, it’s in my blood. I might not have Eric’s experience, but I do have a business management degree and an accountancy qualification, and a bloody good cellar manager in Dan. What would be really nice would be to have your support.’
‘Honestly, Ellie, take no notice of us. We all love you and the pub, you know that.’
I took a deep breath, aware now that our little contretemps had gained the attention of most of the other people in the pub. It was only then that I noticed the customer sitting in Noel’s chair, next to the fireplace, watching me closely. As I looked across at him, he dropped his gaze, but not before I recognised him. Typical, the man I suspected was from the pub guide had witnessed my whole little outburst. He certainly knew how to pick his moments. Still, I wouldn’t have cared if it was Prince Philip sitting there, I was determined to have my say.
‘Next time, guys, just tell me to my face if there’s something you’re unhappy with, rather than talk behind my back. At least then I can attempt to do something about it. Alternatively, if you’re really unhappy, then you always have the option to go and drink somewhere else. I’ve heard The Red Lion at Upper Leyton serves a good pint.’
‘But…’
From behind the bar, Josie winked at me and held her hands up to the side of face, clapping lightly. At least she had my back.
I waltzed out of the bar into the living quarters, feeling strangely empowered, an emotion that was quickly replaced by crushing guilt. What had I been thinking? Why couldn’t I have just kept my mouth zipped instead of telling some of my most regular customers to go and take a hike and drink in another pub? I mean, what if they went? What if other customers followed? And what if that man, the one I suspected was from the Good Pub Guide, went and put all of this in his damn report? I groaned inwardly.
‘Nice one, Ells,’ said Josie, wandering through into the kitchen.
‘Oh Josie, what have I done? I know, I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t help myself.’
‘Don’t worry about it. I think everyone was in total awe. Respect, sister.’ She fist bumped me. ‘Doesn’t hurt to give the customers a few home truths occasionally.’
‘Yes, but I think I may have just proved to those guys exactly what they’d been saying about me; that I’m a temperamental unreliable woman. Eric would never have behaved in that way.’
‘Yeah, but then again, Dad would never have been subject to that sort of criticism from his regulars. Or if he was, he would have thrown them out on to the pavement.’
‘True.’ I suppose it was a fact of life. Some situations I would never be able to handle in the same way as Eric.
Josie flicked on the kettle, pulled two mugs from the cupboards and heaped a teaspoon of coffee into each. ‘They’re all out there now, saying how much they love the pub and how they would never drink at the Red Lion because the landlady there is a frosty old so-and-so, and nowhere near as lovely as you.’
‘Ha, well give me a few more years and I may be just like her too.’
‘No, never,’ said Josie, handing me my favourite striped mug. I took a sip of the coffee feeling better for having talked it through with Josie. Digby had slumped against my leg, his weight warm and comforting up against me.
‘Did you see that guy out there? The one who was sitting by the fireplace?’ I asked. Josie nodded. ‘I think he’s the guy from the pub guide.’
‘Ah well, he’s just ordered another pint, so he must be enjoying himself. It will give him something to write about, at least.’
‘Yeah, I guess,’ I said, dejectedly, wondering if I was on a one-woman mission to completely destroy the goodwill of my business.
Josie laughed. ‘Really don’t worry about it. You've just shown to everyone how passionate you are about your business. And that’s a good thing. If people don’t like that, they can always go and drink down the Red Lion,’ she said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Twelve
A few days later I turned my car into the entrance of Braithwaite Manor, and tootled along the driveway, imagining myself to be in a period drama, arriving for the start of a country weekend. Instead, maybe not quite as excitingly, I was on my way to collect Katy for our shopping trip into town. I hadn’t seen Max since he’d had to dash off to see Sasha that day, but I’d had time enough to realise it wasn’t an issue. How could it be after that delicious conversation we had about our feelings for each other? What I had to remember was that Sasha was in the past and I was very much here in the present. Well, that’s what I hoped, anyway. Pulling up outside the pillared front doorway, I beeped on the horn and Max’s dogs came running out to greet me, barking noisily. When there was no sign of Katy emerging, I climbed out of the car and wandered around to the back door.
‘Katy, all I’m asking is that you talk to her,’ I heard Max say in an imploring voice. ‘You’ll have to do it sometime. Mum wants to make things right, but she can’t do that if you won’t even speak to her.’
‘I don’t want to, Max. Don’t you understand. I haven’t got anything to say to her. She wants me to go back to Spain and it’s not going to happen. However much you get on at me.’
I hovered there for a moment, trapped on the outside of their impassioned conversation, wondering if it wouldn’t be better if I just turned around and went home. Tentatively, I stepped forward and knocked on the glass pane of the open door.
‘Is this a bad time?’
‘No,’ said Katy quickly, ‘I’ve been waiting for you.’ Her relief at getting out of her conversation with her brother was palpable. ‘I won’t be a moment. I’ll just pop to the loo, and grab my bag, then I’ll be ready to go.’
‘Oh dear,’ I said to Max when she’d left. ‘I’m guessing by the sound of that conversation that things aren’t any better as far as Katy and her mum are concerned.’
‘I’ve tried everything. I just can’t get through to her. Mum is calling every two minutes wanting to talk to her, and Katy just refuses. If she would only open up to me and tell me what the problem is, I might be able to help, but she just won’t have it. I can’t seem to please either of them at the moment.’
‘Give her a bit more time and I’ll bet she’ll come round.’
‘Well I bloody well hope so, because I’m at a loss as to what to do next. She’s clearly miserable and unhappy, but I can’t see how that’s ever going to change if she won’t even help herself.’
‘I’ll see if I can talk to her when we’re out. It might take her mind of things, a bit of retail therapy.’
Max shrugged. I wasn’t sure if his irritability was down solely to Katy or if he had other things on his mind.
‘I meant to ask, what happened with Sasha the other day?’
Max hadn't said a word about it, and not knowing what was happening was slowly turning me crazy.
He lifted his brow and I detected a flicker of emotion in his eyes. I wondered if her reappearance in the village had unsettled him in the same way as it had me. If seeing her again, he hadn’t realised that he’d missed her and still held feelings for her. I steadied my b
reathing. No. Stop it, Ellie, with the wild realms of fantasy. I was being ridiculous.
‘Yeah, she’s good. The cottage was just what she was looking for so I think she was very relieved to find somewhere. She’s moved in some of her stuff already.’
So Sasha wasn’t as firmly placed in the past as I hoped. Now she was here again, in the present, and in the future too, I had to wonder, sadly.
‘Already? That was quick.’ Too damn quick for my liking. Why the hurry? And couldn’t Max have just run it by me first? Had he not considered how I might feel knowing his glamorous ex had moved into a house, just a stone’s throw away from the manor.
I took a step backwards, my gaze scanning his face for an answer.
‘Yeah, well the thing is…’ Just then we heard footsteps padding through the kitchen and turned to see Katy approaching. What was it he had been about to tell me? ‘It doesn’t matter,’ he said, as if hearing my silent question. ‘We can catch up on the news later.’ He pulled me to him, his hands on my shoulders, and kissed me tenderly on the lips, although I couldn't concentrate on his kiss when I was still trying to digest the news about Sasha.
‘Oh pur…lease! Stop with all the lovely-dovey stuff. It’s gross,’ said Katy, her disgust entirely genuine.
Max and I exchanged a look and we giggled, and for that moment I could forget about my concerns over Sasha.
‘You know, you’re very welcome to come with us,’ I told Max.
‘Er, thanks, but no. My idea of hell traipsing around the shops, I’m afraid. But I know you two will have the best time ever.’
I laughed, mainly at Katy’s horrified expression that I’d even invited Max along in the first place. What she didn’t know was that I’d only asked because I’d known there wasn’t the remotest chance that he would have accepted.
Max reached inside his jeans pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, handing it over to Katy. Wide-eyed, she looked at the money and then back up at Max.
‘What’s this?’
‘Well you can’t go shopping without money, can you? Why don’t you buy some new clothes.’
Summer at the Dog & Duck Page 10